gustafson



April 23, 1963 ARRANGEMENTS IN CALCULATING MACHINES FOR SETTING FiledMarch 22, 1962 G A. GUSTAFSON UP NUMBERS ELECTROMECHANICALLY 3Sheets-Sheet 1 April 23, 1963 ARRANGEMENTS IN CALCULATING MACHINES FORSETTING Filed March 22, 1962 G A GUSTAFSON UP NUMBERSELECTROMECHANICALLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 5:" S I I April 23, 1963 G. A.GUSTAFSON ARRANGEMENTS IN CALCULATING MACHINES FOR SETTING UP NUMBERSELECTROMECHANICALLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 22, 1962 FIG.3

United States Patent 3,086,700 ARRANGEMENTS IN CALCULATING MACHINES FORSETTING UP NUMBERS ELECTROME- CHANICALLY Gustaf Adolf Gustafson, Malmo,Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Addo, Malrno, Sweden, a corporation ofSweden Filed Mar. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 181,732 Claims priority,application Sweden Mar. 23, 1961 3 Claims. (Cl. 235-60) In calculatingmachines having a setting pin carriage which is movable along a path inthe machine between a row of denominational order positions, there aremechanisms in extence which set up numbers on the carriage by means ofsetting pin actuators and electromagnets operating said actuators, saidelectromagnets each having one terminal connected to a common bus bar towhich a source of current is connected, and the other terminal connectedto a digit line leading to a transmitter, and feed means are adaptedupon each operation of the actuators to shift the carriage onedenominational order step in one direction, the feed direction, in thepath of the carriage from one denominational order position to the nextfollowing position and simultaneously to switch the bus bar from itsconnection with one denominational order line to its connection withanother denominational order line, said denominational order lines eachbeing connected to one denominational order in the transmitter which isadapted to establish electric connection between the respectivedenominational order line and one of the digit lines.

In the known arrangements of this type the rate at which digits are fedto the calculating machine is determined by the transmitter or somedevice other than the calculating machine proper. This implies that therate must be made so slow that the setting pin carriage of thecalculating machine will surely have time to move one denominationalorder step between the points of time at which two consecutive digitsare supplied to the calculating machine. Still, errors may occur if thesetting pin carriage for some reason or other takes an abnormally longtime to move from one denominational order position to the nextfollowing position. The present invention eliminates this drawback andmoreover permits as rapid a transmission as possible of digits to thecalculating machine.

The invention is thus characterized by the fact that a switch isconnected in the bus bar in series with the source of current and thatmeans cooperating with the carriage are adapted to hold the switchclosed only when the carriage substantially occupies any of itsdenominational order positions.

For further elucidation, the invention will be described in more detailin the following reference being had to the accompanying drawings whichillustrate two examples of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of part of a calculating machine to which theinvention has been applied;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the arrangement in FIG. 1, some partsnecessary for the understanding of the invention having been added;

FIG. 3 is an electric wiring diagram of the arrange ment.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, l0 and 11 designate two frame end walls of acalculating machine which is equipped with a conventional setting pincarriage 12 for setting up numbers in the calculating machine. Settingpin carriage 12 is movable in a straight path between frame end walls.10, 11, having two apertured lugs 13 slidable along a rod 14 betweensaid end walls and rolling on a roller 15 along a rail 16 between saidend walls. In the conventional manner the carriage supports a row of tenstep pins 17, which extends close to and along the rod 14. In thenon-actuated state said step pins 17 project from the underside of thecarriage, and together with a stop abutment 18 to be described in thefollowing these pins determine ten denominational order positions ofcarriage 12 along the path thereof. A tension spring 19 expanded betweencarriage 12 and frame end wall 10 tends to move the carriage to the leftas viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the initial position shown in saidFIGURES carriage 12 is in the position closest to frame end wall 11 andthe step pin 17 farthest to the left in FIG. 2 bears against the stopabutment 18 to retain carriage 12 in the initial position or the firstdenominational order position against the action of spring 19. Said steppin 17 is adjustable, in a manner to be described in the following intoan actuated position in which the pin is pushed upwardly in the carriagein such a way that its lower end is approximately at a level with theunderside of the carriage. Upon such adjustment of the setting pin,spring 19 will shift the carriage 12 to the left as viewed in FIG. 1into its second denominational order position in which the second steppin 17 from the left in FIG. 2 bears against the stop abutment 18. Bysuccessively depressing the step pins 17 the carriage can thus beshifted denominational order by denominational order to the left asviewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

At right angles to rod 14 there extends opposite each step pin 17 a rowof nine setting pins 20* for digits 0-8 while step pin 17 forms thesetting pin for digit 9 in the conventional manner (for greatersimplicity all setting pins have not been shown in FIG. 2). When a steppin 17 bears against stop abutment 18, said abutment and the settingpins 20 aligned therewith each are directly above one setting pinactuator 21 which is in the form of a bellcrank lever mounted on a shaft22 in frame end wall 11. Each of these setting pin actuators 21 can beswung in a known manner by an electromagnet 23, upon energizat-ion ofthe magnet, to push the respective setting pin 17 or 20 upwards incarriage 12 in the customary manner for setting up the respective digitin the denominational order in question for carriage 12. When one of thesetting pins 20 for digits 08 is adjusted, the associated step pin 17also must be adjusted at the same time in order that carriage 12 may beadvanced one step for inserting a digit in the next following order.This can be done by causing the setting pin actuators 21 when they areswung to carry along a plate 24 which is mounted on shaft 22 and whichthereby actuates in a known manner the step pin 17 engaging abutment 18,by means of a lug (not shown). To relieve magnets 23 for digits 0-8 ofpart of the work of adjust-ing not only their setting pin 20 but alsostep pin 17, an additional electromagnet 25 is provided in this example,which magnet is energized at the same time as any of magnets 23 fordigits 0-9. Magnets 23 and 25 are arranged in two rows 'one above theother, and for greater clarity only the lower row of magnets is shown inFIG. 2. It is pointed out that the arrangement as described so faragrees with that described in French patent specification 1,227,362 towhich reference is made regarding further details.

In an embodiment of the invention, according to FIGS. 1 and 2, thestepping stop abutment 18 is shiftable in a direction parallel with thepath of movement of carriage 12. The stepping stop abutment 18 is in theform of a rod which has one end slidably mounted in frame end wall 10and the other end provided with a slot in which engages a pin 26attached to the machine frame. Secured to rod 18 is a ring 27, and atension spring 28 is positioned between said ring and frame end wall 10.Spring 19 is stronger than spring 28 and through carriage 12 and onestep pin 17 keeps rod 18 pushed to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2against the action of spring 28 to the position shown in which pin 26bears against one end of the slot in rod 18. In this position the end ofrod 18 outside frame end wall 10* bears against a pin 29 on a contactspring 31) and holds said contact spring in electric contact with acontact spring 31 in an electric switch 32 which is mounted on frame endwall 10. Switch 32 has a further contact spring 33 which has not,however, any function in the present connection. When a step pin 17 isadjusted upon setting up of a digit in the order of the step pin incarriage 12, rod 18 loses its support that counter-acts spring 23 sothat said spring moves rod 18 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2,whereby the electric contact between contact springs 30 and 31 isbroken. At the same time carriage 12 begins to move to the left asviewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 under the action 'of spring 19 so that the nextfollowing non-actuated step .pin 17 bears against rod 18, pushing itagainst the action of spring 28 back into the neutral position as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact springs 30 and 31 being again moved intoelectric contact with one another by means of rod 18. Switch 32 is thuskept closed when carriage 12 occupies a denominational order positionbut is open while carriage 12 moves from one denominational orderposition to the next following position.

Carriage 12 is connected by means of a link 34 to a lever 35 which ismounted for swinging movement on a shaft 36 in the machine frame.Secured to lever 35 by means of an insulating block 37 is a slidingcontact arm 38 which has a finger sliding on a contact bar 39 andanother finger which touches eleven contact segments 40 in sequence.Contact bar 39 and contact segments 40 are positioned on an insulatingplate 41 which is secured to the machine frame. In the initial positionshown in FIG. 1 contact arm 33 bears against segment 40 farthest to theright, and when carriage 12 is moved through ten denorr'rinational ordersteps contact arm 38 is swung into engagenient with ten of segments 40in sequence to be -finally moved into contact with the eleventh segment40, farthest to the left in FIG. 1 for initiating the calculatingmachine. When the machine has been initiated in this manner, the numberset up on the setting pin carriage 12 is entered and treated in themachine whereupon carriage 12 is restored to its initial position bymeans not shown which cause simultaneous restoring of setting pins 17,20 to their initial position in the known manner.

Numbers can be entered in the calculating machine by means of anysuitable transmitter whatever which is capable of electricallyinterconnecting digit lines and denominational order lines in the mannerrequired for entering a desired number in the calculating machine. FIG.3, by way of example, shows within a dash and dot rectangle atransmitter 42 which has ten consecutive contact bars 43 for digits -9and ten sliding contacts 44 each corresponding to one denominationalorder. Sliding contacts 44 can be adjusted, by means not shown, such asa weighing mechanism or register actuator in a calculating machine, intoelectric contact with any contact bar 43 whatever, corresponding to thenumber to be transferred to setting pin carriage 12. By means of digitlines 45 contact bars 43 are each connected to one of the electromagnets23, and sliding contacts 44 are each connected by means ofdenominational order lines 46 to one of the contact segments 40 in orderfrom right to left in FIG. 1 and from left to right in FIG. 3.Transmitter 42 also contains for instance a sliding contact 47 which ismovable into electric contact with any one of five contact bars 48 inorder to cause the calculating machine in the known manner to treat thenumber set up in carriage 12 in a certain manner, e.g. by addition orsubtraction. By means of a line 49 sliding contact 47 is connected tothe eleventh contact segment 40 while contact bars 48 are each connectedto one terminal of one starting magnet 50 which is adapted in a knownmanner to initiate the calculating machine according to the desired modeof operation, e.g. addition or subtraction. Parts 4750 actually havenothing to do with the present invention and are mentioned only for thesake of completeness. One terminal of all electromagnets 23, 5G isconnected to a bus bar 51 which extends to the contact bar 39 and inseries contains magnet 25 actuating the step pins 17, a switch 53, asource of current 52, and switch 32.

After the sliding contacts 44 of the transmitter 42 have been set forthe number which is to be transferred to the setting pin carriage 1-2switch 53 is closed, which will close a circuit from source of current52 via closed switch 32, contact bar 39, sliding contact arm 38, firstcontact segment 40, the associated denominational order line 46, slidingcontact 44 connected to said line 46, contact bar 43 touched by saidcontact 44, the associated digit line 45, the correspondingelectromagnet 23, bus bar 51, electromagnet 25, closed switch 53, andback to source of current 52, the correct setting pin being adjusted inthe first order of carriage '12 together with the associated step, pin17. As a result, switch 32 is opened by rod '13 in the manner earlierdescribed while carriage 12 moves to the next denominational orderposition. When the carriage reaches the new denominational orderposition switch 32 is again closed in the manner earlier described sothat the next digit can be transferred from the transmitter to settingpin carriage 12 in the same way as the first digit. The cycle proceedsstep after step, and finally contact arm 38 reaches contact segment 40'connected to line 49, one of the electromagnets 50 being energized forinitiating the calculating machined to carry out the desired mode ofoperation. It is thus clear that the movement of setting pin carriage 12from order to order determines the rate at which digits are transferredfrom the transmitter to the setting pin carriage, since transfer takesplace only when switch 32 is closed.

In an alternative of the arrangement described, switch 32 can beoperated by a mechanism other than the stepping stop abutment 18. Thisalternative is also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this alternative,stepping stop abutment 18 may be fixedly arranged. In this alternative,setting pin carriage 12 or a part movable therewith, in the presentinstance lever 35, has a row of cam means which in the selected exampleconsists of approximately triangular teeth 54 on an arcuate edge oflever 35, the center of curvature of said edge being located on thecenter line of the shaft 36 on which lever '35 is mounted. Cooperatingwith said cam means is a cam follower 55 in the shape of an arm which ismounted for swinging movement on frame end wall .10 and has a nose whicha spring 56 keeps engaged with the cam means or teeth 54. Arm 5'5actuates pin 29a of switch 32a. In the initial position shown thetriangular nose of arm 55 engages in the space between two camprojections 54, and contact spring 30a of switch 32a makes electriccontact with contact spring 31a to keep the source of current 52connected to contact bar 39 in accordance with FIG. 3. When setting pincarriage 12 moves from one denominational order position to the nextfollowing position, a tooth 54 moves arm 55 counter-clockwise as viewedin FIG. 1 so that the contact between contact springs 39a and 31a isbroken in switch 32a. Contact springs 30a and 31a again engage whensetting pin carriage 12 reaches its new denominational order position.

By giving teeth 54 and cam follower 55 a suitable shape it is possibleto make sure that switch 32 is closed when a step pin 17 on carriage 12during the denominational order step which is being carried out by thecarriage has almost but not quite met the fixedly arranged stepping stopabutment, i.e. the carriage has almost but not quite reached its newdenominational order position, so that step pin 17 and possibly also asetting pin 20 is adjusted in the manner described before the stepactually meets the stepping stop abutment, whereby the carriage cancontinue its movement without interruption until the entire desirednumber has been set up in the carriage. As the carriage can move atdifferent speeds in diiferent machines of the same make and model it issuitable to design the operating mechanism for switch 32 in such a waythat the stage during each denominational order step of carriage 12 inwhich the switch is closed is controlled as required for providing asubstantially uninterrupted movement of the carriage in the mannerindicated above. For this purpose the part carrying the cam teeth 54, orthe cam follower 55, can be replaced whenever required by other parts ofa similar nature but of a slightly diifer-ent shape, which provide thedesired effect. However, the cam follower and the cam means can also bemade adjustable relative to one another for said purpose, for instancethe mounting shaft of the cam follower 55 may be made adjustable towardsand away from said cam means.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a calculating machine adapted to be connected to digit lines anddenominational order lines extending from a transmitter having means forestablishing electric connection between the digit lines and thedenominational order lines for representing a number to be entered inthe calculating machine; a setting pin carriage, indexing meansconnected to said carriage for stepping said carriage through aplurality of denominational order positions, setting pins on saidcarriage arranged in a plurality of rows, one for each of thedenominational order positions of said carriage, setting pin actuatorsengageable with said setting pins for selective and consecutive settingof said pins in the successive rows while said carriage is stepped pastsaid setting pin actuators, electromagnetic means connected to saidsetting pin actuators for operating said setting pin actuators, a busbar, said electromagnetic means being electrically connected to said busbar and adapted to be connected to the digit lines extending from thetransmitter, a movable contact movable along said bus bar and coupled tosaid carriage for movement in conjunction with said carriage, a seriesof fixed contacts, one for each of the denominational order linesextending from the transmitter and adapted to be connected thereto, saidmovable contact being successively movable into contact with said fixedcontacts for connecting said bus bar to a difierent one of said fixedcontacts in each of the denominational order positions of said carriage,a current source and switch means connected in series between saidelectromagnetic means and said movable contact, and control meanscooperating with said carriage and engageable with said switch means andholding said switch means closed only when said carriage substantiallyoccupies any of its denominational order positions.

2. In a calculating machine adapted to be connected to digit lines anddenominational order lines extending from a transmitter having means forestablishing electric connection between the digit lines and thedenominational order lines for representing a number to be entered inthe calculating machine; a setting pin carriage, indexing meansconnected to said carriage for stepping said carriage through aplurality of denominational order positions, setting pins on saidcarriage arranged in a plurality of rows, one for each of thedenominational order positions of said carriage, setting pin actuatorsengageable with said setting pins for selective and consecutive settingof said pins in the successive rows while said carriage is stepped pastsaid setting pin actuators, electromagnetic means connected to saidsetting pin actuators for operating said setting pin actuators, a busbar, said electromagnetic means being electrically connected to said busbar and adapted to be connected to the digit lines extending from thetransmitter, a movable contact movable along said bus bar and coupled tosaid carriage for movement in conjunction with said carriage, a seriesof fixed contacts, one for each of the denominational order linesextending from the transmitter and adapted to be connected thereto, saidmovable contact being successively movable into contact with said fixedcontacts for connecting said bus bar to a different one of said fixedcontacts in each of the denominational order positions of said carriage,a current source and switch means connected in series between saidelectromagnetic means and said movable contact, a series of cam meanscoupled to said carriage and movable in conjunctoin with said carriage,and a cam follower associated with said switch means and engaged by saidcam means for holding said switch means closed only when said carriagesubstantially occupies any of its denominational order positions.

3. In a calculating machine adapted to be connected to digit lines anddenominational order lines extending from a transmitter having means forestablishing electric connection between the digit lines and thedenominational order lines for representing a number to be entered inthe calculating machine; a setting pin carriage, feed means connected tosaid carriage for moving said carriage through a plurality ofdenominational order positions, setting pins on said carriage arrangedin a plurality of rows, one for each of the denominational orderpositions of said carriage, step pins on said carriage, one for each rowof said setting pins, a stepping stop abutment, said step pins bearingin sequence against said stepping stop abutment to retain said carriagein the respective denominational order position thereof, setting pinactuators engageable with said setting pins for selective andconsecutive setting of said pins in the row corresponding to said steppin abutting against said stepping stop abutment means and for movingsaid step pins away from said stepping stop abutment means to allow saidfeed means to move said carriage one step to the next succeedingdenominational order position, electromagnetic means connected to saidsetting pin actuators for operating said setting pin actuators, a busbar, said electromagnetic means being electrically connected to said busbar and adapted to be connected to the digit lines extending from thetransmitter, a movable contact movable along said bus bar and coupled tosaid carriage for movement in conjunction with said carriage, a seriesof fixed contacts, one for each of the denominational order linesextending from the transmitter and adapted to be connected thereto, saidmovable contact being successively movable into contact with said fixedcontacts for connecting said bus bar to a different one of said fixedcontacts in each of the denominational order positions of said carriage,a current source and switch means connected in series between saidelectromagnetic means and said movable contact, said stepping stopabutment means being mechanically connected with said switch means forholding said switch means closed only when one of said step pins abutssaid stepping stop abutment means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,917,231 Stansell Dec. 15, 1959 3,017,080 Schwend Jan. 16, 19623,036,763 Chall May 29, 1962 3,072,331 Kennis Jan. 8, 1963

1. IN A CALCULATING MACHINE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO DIGIT LINES ANDDENOMINATIONAL ORDER LINES EXTENDING FROM A TRANSMITTER HAVING MEANS FORESTABLISHING ELECTRIC CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DIGIT LINES AND THEDENOMINATIONAL ORDER LINES FOR REPRESENTING A NUMBER TO BE ENTERED INTHE CALCULATING MACHINE; A SETTING PIN CARRIAGE, INDEXING MEANSCONNECTED TO SAID CARRIAGE FOR STEPPING SAID CARRIAGE THROUGH APLURALITY OF DENOMINATIONAL ORDER POSITIONS, SETTING PINS ON SAIDCARRIAGE ARRANGED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS, ONE FOR EACH OF THEDENOMINATIONAL ORDER POSITIONS OF SAID CARRIAGE, SETTING PIN ACTUATORSENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SETTING PINS FOR SELECTIVE AND CONSECUTIVE SETTINGOF SAID PINS IN THE SUCCESSIVE ROWS WHILE SAID CARRIAGE IS STEPPED PASTSAID SETTING PIN ACTUATORS, ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS CONNECTED TO SAIDSETTING PIN ACTUATORS FOR OPERATING SAID SETTING PIN ACTUATORS, A BUSBAR, SAID ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS BEING ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BUSBAR AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE DIGIT LINES EXTENDING FROM THETRANSMITTER, A MOVABLE CONTACT MOVABLE ALONG SAID BUS BAR AND COUPLED TOSAID CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT IN CONJUCTION WITH SAID CARRIAGE, A SERIES OFFIXED CONTACTS, ONE FOR EACH OF THE DENOMINATIONAL ORDER LINES EXTENDINGFROM THE TRANSMITTER AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED THERETO, SAID MOVABLECONTACT BEING SUCCESSIVELY MOVABLE INTO CONTACT WITH SAID FIXED CONTACTSFOR CONNECTING SAID BUS BAR TO A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID FIXED CONTACTS INEACH OF THE DENOMINATIONAL ORDER POSITIONS OF SAID CARRIAGE, A CURRENTSOURCE AND SWITCH MEANS CONNECTED IN SERIES BETWEEN SAID ELECTROMAGNETICMEANS AND SAID MOVABLE CONTACT, AND CONTROL MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAIDCARRIAGE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SWITCH MEANS AND HOLDING SAID SWITCHMEANS CLOSED ONLY WHEN SAID CARRIAGE SUBSTANTIALLY OCCUPIES ANY OF ITSDENOMINATIONAL ORDER POSITIONS.